He was born March 9, 1919, at Dayton, Ohio, the son of Bishop Arthur and Ellen (Mills) Clippinger. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Otterbein College in 1941 and a Bachelor of Divinity in 1944 from Bonebrake Theological Seminary. He received his doctorate in 1950 from Yale and studied as a Ford Fellow in clinical psychology at Harvard from 1951 to 1953.

He taught psychology at Otterbein College from 1947 until 1951. He served as pastor of the First Church Congregational, Lynn, Mass., from 1951 to 1953, for First EUB Church, Hamilton, Ohio, from 1953 to 1960 and at First Church Congregational in Swampscott, Mass., from 1960 to 1968. In 1968, he became Professor of Psychology and head of the counseling service at Baker University. He retired in 1986 as Benjamin A. Gessner professor of psychology, chairman of the psychology department, and emeritus professor of Baker University. He also served as interim minister at several area churches including St. Johns United Church of Christ near Baldwin City, Congregational United Church of Christ, Carbondale, and the Hillside Presbyterian Church, Hillsdale.

Clippinger was a practicing clinical psychologist and a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He was a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church, Lawrence, and held positions on several boards there, as well as with the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference, United Church of Christ. Over the years, he was involved in a number of religious, professional and civic organizations. He was also elected to the board of education in Swampscott, Mass., from 1964 to 1968.

He married Mary Garver at Strasburg, Ohio, in 1944. She survives.

Other survivors include two sons, the Rev. Arthur Clippinger, Evansville, Ind., and John Edward Clippinger and his wife, Pranom, Baldwin City, and one granddaughter, Mary L. Clippinger, Baldwin City.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Dr. Conrad Clippinger and Malcom Clippinger.

Burial was at Oakwood Cemetery, Baldwin City. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's and Other Related Disorders Association and sent in care of Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, PO Box 64, Baldwin City, KS 66006.